Declan Rice has rubbished suggestions England's players are too tired to make their mark at Euro 2024.
After a narrow victory over Serbia and a 1-1 draw with Denmark, manager Gareth Southgate said his team cannot commit to a pressing game because of their fitness levels.
Southgate's comments led to plenty of post-match discussion focused specifically on England's lack of press when out of possession."If I wasn't fit enough or the lads weren't fit enough we shouldn't be here in the first place," he said. Rice admitted he wants England to play with more freedom when they face Slovenia in Cologne on Tuesday night.
"You see the lads that train and the lads that are expected to win the games for us, they look frightening, they look on it, scoring goals, playing really well and playing with confidence. Instead of being concerned about his physical wellbeing, Rice admits the amount asked of current players can take its toll mentally.
"It is more the mental side for me than the physical side that I struggle to cope with sometimes but I've definitely got better at that as my career's gone on."
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